Scoring Phenomenon
Erling Haaland has added yet another remarkable milestone to his extensive list of personal achievements, scoring his first goal in Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Napoli in the Champions League. While much of the focus was on Kevin De Bruyne as he made his return to the Etihad after an illustrious City career, Haaland once again captured the spotlight.
Just days after netting two goals in the Manchester derby, Haaland recorded his 50th Champions League goal, becoming the fastest player to reach this milestone in the illustrious history of the tournament. The 25-year-old has now entered the top ten scorers in European Cup/Champions League history, surpassing Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano (49 goals). He is now tied with Thierry Henry, although the Arsenal icon took 112 matches to achieve the same feat.
Erling Haaland: The Fastest to 50 Champions League Goals
It’s astonishing that Haaland has reached 50 goals in the world’s most prestigious club competition in just 49 matches, averaging over one goal per game. The prolific striker has scored 27 goals for Manchester City, 15 for Borussia Dortmund, and 8 for RB Salzburg. Notably, he scored 12 goals as City clinched the title in 2023, showcasing a record that is staggering compared to his contemporaries.
As illustrated in the graphic above, Ruud van Nistelrooy formerly held the record, reaching the milestone in 50 matches during his time with Manchester United and Real Madrid. Lionel Messi follows in third place, needing only 66 games, while Robert Lewandowski ranks fourth with 77 games. Kylian Mbappé has scored 57 goals in 88 Champions League matches after netting a brace for Real Madrid against Marseille on Tuesday, but he took 79 games to reach 50 goals.
